laundry

noun

laun·​dry ˈlȯn-drē 

ˈlän-

plural laundries

1

a

: a room for doing the family wash

b

: a commercial laundering establishment

2

: clothes or linens that have been or are to be laundered

Examples of laundry in a Sentence

There's a pile of dirty laundry in the laundry basket.

The patients' sheets are sent regularly to the hospital laundry.

Recent Examples on the Web

Even smart appliances need someone to do the laundry. —Joseph Coughlin, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025

Drum capacity: The amount of dry laundry a machine can wash in one load. —Kate Oczypok, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2025

However, with the best available technology, Bock said water usage can be reduced 10-12 liters in the laundry and 10-11 liters in the denim manufacturing. —Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 25 Apr. 2025

The monthlies are just under $1,300 and cover a 24-hour doorman, fitness center, concierge service, and laundry in the building. —Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 22 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing laundry

• air one's dirty laundry
• dirty laundry
• do the/one's laundry
• laundry list
• load of laundry

Kids Definition

laundry

noun

laun·​dry ˈlȯn-drē 

ˈlän-

plural laundries

1

: clothes or linens that have been or are to be laundered

2

: a place where laundering is done

Etymology

from an obsolete word launder (noun) "one who washes clothes," derived from early French lavandier (or lavandiere) "a man (or woman) who washes clothes," from Latin lavandus "needing to be washed," from lavare "to wash" — related to lavatory, lavish, lotion